Charles Phan, chef-owner of the Slanted Door in San Francisco and author of the just published "Vietnamese Home Cooking," discusses his culinary roots, cooking for his family and why he's opening a Cajun bar. [Epicurious]

BIG PIGS IN TINY CRATES

Pork-buying food companies and humans rights groups are pushing farmers to end the practice of raising pigs in crates only slightly larger than the animals themselves. [New York Times]